'Becoming a cult hero' – Plenty of Leeds United fans react as Victor Orta addresses Derby celebration

Football League World

By Ned Holmes

Published Aug 3, 2020

Leeds United director of football Victor Orta has revealed that his binoculars celebration at Pride Park was not preplanned and suggested that he tries to moderate his behaviour when watching games, which has drawn an interesting reaction from many fans of the club.

The Whites beat Derby County 4-1 in the penultimate game of the season, with the Rams having to give Marcelo Bielsa's side a guard of honour after their Championship triumph had been confirmed.

Relations between the two sides have been frosty over the past few years – particularly following the spygate saga, the play-off semi-final clash, and Derby's subsequent celebrations.

Orta produced a celebration of his own after their victory at Pride Park in July, which included a not so subtle dig at Derby.

Speaking in an interview with La Tercera, Orta explained that celebration and discussed his actions at Leeds games in general.

He said: "I respected Derby County's celebration of the semi-final last year.

"There was not a note from the club [when Derby won]. Nobody said anything. You lose, you suck it. So clear.

"And the other day someone brought the binoculars. And in a moment of exaltation, when the title was confirmed, I remembered. More as a joke than a rematch.

"But hey, I guess there are times when you are wrong. I don't regret it, but maybe I should have thought twice."

He added: "They separate us from the directives, not like in Spain. In Elche, I learned that it was not a behaviour for where it was.

"I decided to watch the games outside the box, I understood that it could be annoying. But soccer belongs to the fan and soccer is passion and feeling. And yes, sometimes I'm wrong.

"I have to moderate myself. But it is part of myself. I was a fan, I know what fans feel when you win and when you lose. I try to moderate myself, but I admit that I do not succeed."

This is far from the first over-exuberant celebration Orta produced in the 2019/20 season as he is understood to have ripped a screen off the wall in the director's box last year.